Bald Eagle Electrocuted Shortly After Leaving the Nest

The bald eagle electrocuted in Iowa was part of The Raptor Resource Project’s Decorah Eagle Cam, which allowed people to watch the birth of several eaglets courtesy of their web browsers. Sadly, one of the babies, D12, was electrocuted and killed by an electrical pole shortly after leaving the nest for the very first time.

“We are very sorry to announce that D12 is dead. D12 was found electrocuted at the base of a power pole on a Sunday morning,” the RRP announced with a heavy heart. “We notified the power company, who modified the top of that pole on Sunday and several other poles in the area on Monday. As of this morning, they are continuing to identify and modify poles to make them raptor safe. If you find an electrocuted raptor or other bird by a pole, take it to the nearest wildlife center (if it is still alive) and contact your state DNR or local game warden and the utility company that owns the pole.”

However, according to Alliant Energy’s Justin Foss, the utility pole in-question was equipped with an animal shield at the time of the eagle’s electrocution. As a precaution, the company put another cover over the pole to prevent any further incidents from taking place. On Monday, crews showed up to address the safety concerns by re-engineering the guard to make it safer for birds and animals.

Although there’s no doubt that the utility pole played a significant role in D12’s death, The Raptor Resource Project did reiterate that electrical poles themselves generally do not pose a threat to wildlife. However, the organization added, “The Avian Protection Plan Guidelines include information on raptor safe poles and modification of existing poles. New structures are fairly safe, but older poles may not be. Older poles may have been installed either before people were aware of electrocution hazards to wildlife, or during the decline of raptor populations in America, when interaction was less likely.”

Its so sad to here about an animal die because the human species have taken the planet for ourselves. I feel like that people have forgotten that humans are animals as well. I also feel that people have forgotten that this planet is just as much other animals as it is ours.

asdf

this reads like some sort of weird battle royale update,

“Participant d12 has been electrocuted. I repeat d12 has been electrocuted.”

jsut call it an eagle. Applying number to it sounds like we don’t look at as any more than a number.

secondnature2

Very well said. It was so sterile the way they described this poor baby eagle as a number and nothing more. Very sad.

Steve diees

OP and you area idiots. Do you have any idea at all, why they name them as such? Do you know why they don’t give them human names? THINK before you post such stupidity.

minnie

They called it D12 to designate that it was the 12th birth from the parent pair. The three that were born this year were D12, D13 and D14. D is for the Decorah nest. Since they are tracking some of them it helps to know which is which and they don’t give them “names” as it humanizes them. I don’t see in the article where it indicates the eagle as a “participant”. If you had been one that had watched them grow up daily over the past few months, you would realize that these eagles are much more than a number to the RRP and those of us that were able to watch them from egg to leaving the nest.

Steve diees

don’t waste your time on people like this, you will be much happier. Let them stew in their own ignorance next time.

Pam

I am saddened to read about the eaglet. My first grade students and I enjoyed watching the eaglets, and learned so much about eagles.

Steve

Tastes like chicken.

Steve diees

So does your Mom.

Lori

Let’s not forget how these raptors make a living. Let our small pets and rabbits rejoice. Circle of life, blah, blah, blah. If you were a part of that circle, especially at the lower end, we would not get comments about “cute” predators.

Juliann

Very sad. Many long term care facilities had a lap top set up for the elderly to follow progress.

charles

it’s very sad that the eagle died but human beings are just as native to the planet earth as eagles are. human beings have evolved just as eagles. it is not a bad thing that we have learned to adapt so well to earth. anonymous maybe you should think about attempting to live with out electricity

Gary Moeller

SO sad to be electrocuted,but probably no worse than being beaten to death by a eco friendly windmill blade

robert!

That’s not good. I watched that clutch of birds from eggs on up to just a couple of weeks ago.
robert!

Kyle

Now can we talk about all the good things electricity has done for the human race?

Steve diees

electrocuting people named Kyle?

Rita

I was so sorry to read about D12. I too got on the site everyday to watch these eaglet babies before they were born and watched their progress everyday. I have been watching this site for the past 2 years. I hope the officials can make the necessary changes so this does not happen again.

frances

There are those who don’t understand and then those of us that do and we are deeply saddened.
mothergoose2011

Frankie

As a member of the Carolina Raptor Center, I am saddened to hear of the death of this bird. I am happy to hear that the power companies are becoming more pro-active to keep their equipment safe for all wildlife.